LeVar Burton never intended to have a career in television. A theater major at the University of Southern California, the stage was Burton’s goal until he was cast in one of the greatest miniseries in the history of television, an adaptation of Alex Haley’s “Roots.” He went on to portray Geordi La Forge, chief engineer of the Starship Enterprise on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but his most lasting impact came through his involvement with the show “Reading Rainbow.”

After 26 years on the air, PBS took “Reading Rainbow” off the air, and unwilling to let his beloved program fade away, Burton and his business partner Mark Wolfe acquired the rights to the brand and developed a mobile application that launched Reading Rainbow into the 21st Century. On the app, users can read children’s literature, interact with content in a virtual world, and go on video field trips to places like the National Archives, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the US Mint.

LeVar Burton is a fine actor to be sure, but he truly endeared himself to the public by transmitting a love of reading to generations of children. His mother, an English teacher by trade, taught him the power of books, and Burton has certainly done her proud by introducing so many young people to the world of literature.